Project Ideas, Project Choices, Need to Make a Project Decision

    At my school, in addition to being a reading specialist,  I am the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Tier 1, School-Wide Coordinator. In this role, I push out PBIS/SEL lessons, lead the PBIS Committee, and create systems and initiatives that promote a positive school culture. Once the school closures happened much of my work in this role was shut down. Class advisors, clubs, committees were all put on hold to the overwhelming nature of the crisis and the demands of distance learning. I could create a project where I relate that I feel that students learn best when they are in safe and secure school environments where a growth mindset and accomplishments are supported and valued. In terms of technology integration, I need to develop new ways to do much of my work virtually. Virtual recognition ceremonies, using social media as a tool to develop and support school culture from a distance and creating a system where my Making Caring Common Club members could act as Freshman Mentors in a virtual "Freshman (Orientation) Welcome" and work with the students assigned to them using the Zoom platform. So that's my first idea. I tend to be a PBIS zealot so I am passionate about this work and I am determined to continue this work even amidst obstacles. 

   Another idea that I have is to reflect upon my role next year of co-teaching with the ELL specialist in my school in a newly created class where both English Language Development (ELD) and Reading will be taught simultaneously. I am in the TESOL Master's program and have finished my core classes for certification so I am prepared to go into the reading specialist for emergent bilinguals role. I feel that students learn best when they are in a classroom environment that values their language and heritage and uses their home language and funds of knowledge to advance their linguistic skills. If I pursue this route, I can discuss how I will develop my program with the ELL specialist and will describe how I will use tech tools from a distance to develop conversational skills through discussion techniques using identity texts as an anchor for instruction. Focusing on this idea for a project will help me plan for the next school year and will help me to create a template to build my program upon in just SEVEN weeks. My school is starting with four PD days starting on the 24th of August. After so much time away from school, seven weeks seems like just a short period of time. So those are my ideas. I know that I need to make a decision very soon. I will sleep on it tonight!